Safety-pin.



N ;69,asu,* Patented Sept. 30, I902.-

' w. F. BALDWIN.

SAFETY PIN.

(Appliqation filed Apr. 15, 1901.)

(No Model.)

v mbzessesr I I 77 1 m dwj jul w i I M 'rsns ca. pnormmumj WASHINGTON u UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

\VILLIAM F. BALDWIN, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

SAFETY-PIN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 709,860, dated September 30, 1902.

Application filed April 15, 1901. Serial No. 55,840. (No model.)

7 the following is a specification. I

The safety-pin as ordinarily constructed consists of a bar or piece which is sharpened at one end in order to pierce the material and is provided at the other end with some sort of a spring, usually in the form of a spiral, to cause the pointed end to spring outward away from the back or support as soon as it is released from the shield which is carried by said back or support. Such pins are admittedly of great utility; but for certain classes of work they are objectionablesuch,

for example, as securing dress-shields in position, where it is particularly desirable that only a very small amount of material shall be taken up on the pin. This objection is chiefly due to the fact that no means are provided to limit the amount of material which will be taken up by the pin-point. When the garment is on the person who is trying to insert the pins in place, the difficulty becomes more apparent. A further objection to this class of pin lies in the fact that the pin-point is on the side where most of the strains are on the end, and consequently the material through which the point has been inserted is bunched or gathered up in one end of the pin, when the pin as a whole is strained endwise. I overcome these objections by making the pin of such shape and size that only the desired small quantity of cloth or other material will pass over the point unless unusual and special effort is made.

As a means of carrying out my invention I make a pin which is so arranged that the point is short and somewhat hook-shaped and directly forms a part of the back or support and has no movement independent thereof. The shield for protecting the point is carried by an arm or moving element which is pressed outward or away from the back and pin by a spring of suitable construction.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate an embodiment of my invention, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a pin on a somewhat-enlarged scale. Fig. 2 is a perspective vwise when strained.

view of a pin with a slightly-different form of shield. Fig. 3 is a View in elevation showing the pin fastening two pieces of cloth together, and Fig. 4 is a detail view of the shield of Fig. 2.

A represents the fixed element or support, and formed on the end thereof is a short stiff hook B. On the end opposite the hook isformed a spring 0, which tends at all times to force the arm D outward and away from the fixed element or support. Formed on or otherwise secured to the end of the springpressed arm is a shield E, which when the pin is in service covers the point of the pin. The type shown in Fig. 1 consists of a U-shaped piece, which is soldered or otherwise formed or secured to the spring-pressed arm.

In Fig. 2 the shield E is made by forming a loop in the end of the arm. In this case the pin is given a slight downward turn at the end, so as to enter the loop and be prevented by the sides thereof from moving side- An advantage of this construction lies in the fact that when subjected to undue strains the hook on the end will engage with the loop E and prevent bending or otherwise changing the form of the pin.

first, owing to the sharp downward turn at the end.

In Fig. 3 a pin is shown as holding two pieces of cloth. The short stiff pin B is shown in dotted lines where it passes through the cloth. The lower end of the pin is secured by a piece of tape F to a second piece of cloth. It will be seen that the strains are in a vertical direction or along the length of the pin instead of across, as is the case with the ordinary safety-pin.

In inserting the pin into the material it is placed flatwise against the cloth and given a slight twist, which forces the point into the cloth. Owing to the shortness of the point and to its peculiar arrangement, it is only possible to take up a certain amou n t of cloth I. 6., enough to fill the hook-like portion. On

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When the pin is in place, the strain being a l and at the otherendinapointed return-curve,

longitudinal one and the amount of cloth in the hook small, no bunching of the cloth or other unevenness is experienced. This lastmentioned feature is a highly-advantageous one, since it permits of the use of the pins where otherwise it would be objectionable.

That I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

In a safety-pin, the combination of a body member terminating at one end' in a spring and an arm extending from the spring and carrying upon its outer terminal a shield to receive and guide the curved point of the [5 body member.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 8th day of April, 1901.

WILLIAM F. BALDWIN. Witnesses:

ETHEL B. FOX, HARRY W. FISKE. 

